Bucks F TYRONE HILL recently signed a deal with the
polygram Entertainment Group affil Platinum to distribute
his All Net Records label. Billboard Senior Editor MELINDA
NEWMAN: "It always seems that athletes want to be rock stars
and rock stars want to be athletes" (VIBE, 8/10 issue).
THE 29TH WORKS FOR US: MATS WILANDER will perform with
recording artists dada -- whose "California Gold" was the
second-most played song on alternative radio earlier this
month -- and THE TORIES, at the '98 U.S. Open Player Party,
August 29 at N.Y.'s China Club. The party is sponsored by
Heineken USA (THE DAILY)....The MLS Mutiny announced THE GOO
GOO DOLLS will perform at the closing of Houlihan Stadium
after the team's last match on September 13 (Mutiny).
OTHER NAMES: IOC Medical Commission Chair ALEXANDRE DE
MERODE "responded" to recent remarks made by IOC President
JUAN ANTONIO SAMARANCH about reducing the list of banned
substances. De Merode: "The president can have his
opinions. I do not understand, and they make me aghast ...
people who want to reduce the list are the people who want
to let doping function" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 8/18)...JIM
CONNELLY, who recently resigned as NFLP Senior VP/Consumer
Products, "is said to be a candidate for a top marketing
post" at the NHL and "is a possible contender" to replace
BOB GAMGORT as President of MLBP (AD AGE, 8/18)...."JUDGE
MILLS LANE," the new courtroom show, "came out fighting in
its syndication debut Monday" with a 21% ratings boost for
the time periods it occupies on metered-market stations
(HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 8/19)....FRANK DUROSS, co-Owner of the
A League Rochester Rhinos and the AHL Providence Bruins,
sole Owner of the NLL's Boston Blazers and a limited partner
in the MLS Fusion, is profiled in the Rochester DEMOCRAT &
CHRONICLE. A successful "sports entrepreneur" and
millionaire, DuRoss is currently "spearheading" Rochester's
push for an MLS team (DEMOCRAT & CHRONICLE, 8/15).

KEN GRIFFEY JR. writes a first-person cover story with
Claire Smith in ESPN MAGAZINE where he talks of his
relationship with Nike and today's media. Griffey: "Nike
doesn't force you to do anything you're not comfortable
with. Yes, I've gotten questions the last couple years
about Nike: 'How come the factory workers are only making
this much?' I really got grilled by one reporter. I said,
If you give me a couple of days to find out about it, I'll
answer all your questions. And I got a printout a few days
later, and showed him that factory workers are comparable to
firemen, teachers, policemen and more in those societies.
That's what people don't get to see. The just see numbers -
- they're getting this, and we're getting this -- instead of
dealing with what their societies make and what our society
makes." On the media: "There are a lot of things the media
don't always understand. I agree with ESPN on a lot of
things, but certain things? People have to be accountable
for what they say and do. Athletes, media, everybody. So
if you say something negative about somebody, at least give
them an opportunity to answer. I don't want to get
wisecracks. I want sports. That's it. But with ESPN, it's
like a competition in the studio to see who can say the
funniest line. When somebody makes an error, guys in our
position don't think it's funny. Then you have the field
guys at the ballpark wondering why this player or that
player won't talk. Send the guy who said the funny line to
get the interview" (ESPN MAGAZINE, 8/24 issue).